Solid companies that I consider to be low risk, solid investments
Airlines - Air Canada - revenue per passenger up (from additional charges for meals, pillows), costs down, more international business from Europe, Asia, 1-year to Oct '17 +250%. WestJet +41%.
E l Du Pont De Nemours And Co (nyse: DD) - 20% market share in titanium whitening industry (chemical agent used to whiten everything from oreo cookies to toothpaste). That's a fifth of a $17 billion a year industry. Titanium white/dioxide has few cheap substitutes which is another factor to consider. DuPont is also involved in paper and plastics. DuPont stock is up more than 13% last 6 months, +14% last 3 months, stable over last 1 month (ending March 11, 2012). Since 2011 it also owns $6 billion company Danisco which produces food, enzymes and bioproducts.
J. M. Smucker Company (nyse: SJM) - Makes coffee, milk and peanut butter, things that its principal customers in the US and abroad (Canada - 10% of fiscal 2011 sales) are not going to stop buying. 2011 revenue almost 2X more than 2008 revenue. Dividends per share +15.9% in 2011 annualized at $1.68. Profit -3% in 2011 despite sales +4.8% on the year.
In January of this year (2012) JM acquired Sarah Lee's foodservice, coffee and hot beverage business (North America).
Canadian Natural Resources Limited (tsx: IMO) - recently fell behind Imperial Oil in market capitalization which is ridiculous given that it was Canada leading oil producer in 2011 (and has the largest reserve base among Canadian producers).